Automatic flush for water-closets.



L. M. LANCASTER.

AUTOMATIC FLUSH FOR WATER CLOSBTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.14, 1908.

926,263 Patented June 29, 1909.

UNITED STATES LEWIS M. LANCASTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC FLUSH FOR WATER-CLOSETS.

To all whom it mag concern;

' Be it known that I, LEWIS M. LANCASTER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Philadelphia, in the county .of Philadelphia andState of Penns lvania, have invented certain new and use 111Improvements in an Automatic Flush for WVater Closets, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved automatic flush for water closets,an object of the invention being to provide improvements of thischaracter, in which the inlet valve to the tank, may be located at anydistance below the level of the ground, which together with a drain toempty the pipe from said valve to the tank, will absolutely prevent anypossibility of water freezing in the pipes, and hence prevent the damageincident thereto.

A further ob'ect is to provide an improved construction 0 thischaracter, in which the valve may be drawn out of the pipe to enable theinsertion of a new washer on the valve, or to repair the valve in anyway, without the necessity of digging up the ground.

A further object is to provide an improved construction and arrangementof parts which will compel the tank to fill when weight is upon thecloset seat, and which will automatically flush the closet when theweight is off the seat.

A further object is to provide an improved construction wherein theinlet valve will serve to open the drain when the valve is closed, toempty the pipe between the valve and the tank.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, and combinations, and arrangements ofparts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure? is a view partly in side elevationand par y in section illustrating my improvements. Fig. 2, is a view inlongitudinal section through the tank and cooperating parts. Fig. 3, isan enlar ed view in vertical section through the in ct pi e showing theinlet valve on its seat, and ig, 4, is a view in cross section on theline 4-4 of Fig. 3.

1 represents a bowl having a hinged seat 2, the latter provided with a,rearwardly extending weig ted arm 3,'the weight of which Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed November 14, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Serial No. 462,654.

latter being suflicient to hold the seat in an inclined position asshown in Fig. 1.

5 represents a flushing tank having a suitable cover (3, and connectedby a pipe 7 with the bowl 1.

The tank 5 is supplied with water by a pipe 8, which latter projects upa considerable distance into tank 5, and is provided with a perforatedcap or cover 9. This inlet -pipe 8, which projects down into the groundany desired distance, far enough to prevent any possibility of freezing,is provided with a valve seat 10 normally closed by a plunger valve 11having an ordinary washer 12 thereon. This valve '11 is provided atopposite sides with keys 13 guided in key-ways 14 into the valve casing15, which latter forms a section of the pipe 8. The drain pipe 16communicates with the casing 15., and is open when the valve 11 isclosed, but when the latter lifts to open, it will close communicationwith pipe 16 and prevent any passage of the water through said pipe. Thevalve 11 is secured on the lower end of a rod 17, which latter extendsup through pipe 8 into tank 5, and a coiled spring 18 is located in theupper end of the pipe 8 and bears downward against shoulder 19 on rod17, to normally press the valve 11 on to its seat.

The tank 5, is provided with a vertical sleeve or housing 20, in which avertical rod 21 is mounted, and provided at its upper end, in tank 5,with a cross rod 22. One end of end of rod 17, and the other end of thewith a tubular valve stem 24, the latter providedat its lower end withthe valve 25 to close against a valve seat 26 around-an outlet port 27,connecting with the flushing pipe 7. The rod 21 is disposed verticallyand is provided at its lower end, with an. enlargement 28, located inthe path of movement of the arm 3 on seat 2, to be moved by the seataswill now be explained.

follows: As shown in the drawings the valve 11 is closed, the valve 25is open, and the tank 5 and pipe 8 are empty. When weight is applied onthe seat 2, the arm 3 will engage the rod' 21 and move the latterupward. This movement of rod 21, through the medium of cross rod 22,will lift the rod 17 and valve 11, and also lift valve 25 to close theport 27. When rod 17 is lifted, the

this cross rod 22 is connected to the upper cross bar 22, is connectedby a spring 23,

The operation of 'my' improvements is as valve 11 will closecommunication between pipes 8 and 16, and the water will flowupwardthrough pipe 8 into tank 5 until it reaches the top of the tubularvalve stem 25%, when the water will flow down through this valve stem2%, and pipe 7, into the bowl 1. \Vhen the seat 2 is relieved of itsweight, it will swing upward by reason of the weighted arm 2, and therod 21 will fall, permitting the valve 25 to open and the water in tank5 to flow through pipe 7 and flush the bowl 1. \Vhen the rod 21 ispermitted to fall, the spring 18 will force valve 11 tightly on its seat10 and shut oii" the water, and this downward movement of valve 11. willopen communication from pipe 8 to pipe 16 and .drain through pipe 16 tothoroughly empty pipe 8. It is of course understood, that this pipe 16is to be connected to the sewer in any desired way.

A great many slight changes might be made in the general form andconstruction of parts described without departing from my invention, andhence I do not restrict myself to the precise details set forth, butconsider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations asfairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: I

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with aflushing tank, of an inlet pipe communicating with said tank andextending down below the level of the ground, a drain pipe communicatingwith said inlet pipe below the level of the ground, a valve in saidinlet pipe be low the drain pipe and of a size to permit its being drawnup through the inlet pipe and tank, and said valve constructed to closethe drain pipe when moved to permit the water to flow to the tank, andto open said drain pipe when moved to permit the water to flow to thetank, and to open said drain pipe when moved to closed position. Y

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination'iwvith aflushing tank, of anvinlet pipe communicating with said tank andextending down below the level of the ground, an inlet'valve in saidpipe below the ground, said valve being of v a diameter smaller than theinternal diameter of the smallest part of said pipe, permitting thevalve to be drawn up through the pipe, and a rod in the pipe connectingwith said valve, and means for operating said rod.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with abowl, a flushing tank and a flushing pipe connecting the tank and bowl,an inlet pipe extending down below the ground level and rojecting upinto the tank, a valve in the inlet pipe below the ground level, aspring pressed rod secured to said valve and extending above the upperend of the inlet pipe in the tank, an outlet valve in the tank to closea port communicating with the flushing pipe, said valve being normally 0en, a hinged seat on the bowl, a weighte arm on the seat, and a rod inthe path of said arm and connected with the first mentioned rod, andwith the valve for the flushing pipe.

4. In an apparatus of the character de-' scribed, the combination with atank, a

bowl, a flushing pipe connecting the tank and bowl, a hinged seat on thebowl, and a weighted arm on the seatnormally holding the seat at anincline, of an inlet pipe connecting with the tank, a valve in saidpipe,

a spring pressed rod secured to said'valve Y and projecting up into thetank, a valve to close communication between the flushin pipe and thetank, a tubular stem on sai valve projecting up into the tank, a sleevein said tank, a rod movable in said sleeve and located in the path ofmovement of the arm on the seat, a cross rod on said last mentioned rodin the tank, connected at one end to the inlet valve rod, and a springconnecting the other end of said cross rod withthe tubular valve stem.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEWIS M. LANCASTER.

Witnesses:

S. W. FOSTER, J. A. L. MULHALL.

